


Girls & Boys

by Sunny_Lana



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: 1x05, 7x03, Around then anyway, Because I’m adding a second one-shot, Blue & Green Paladins, Can be read as Plance but doesn’t have to be, F/M, Female Pronouns for Pidge | Katie Holt, Hunk & Romelle are basically BFFs, I know it’s been a while but y’all remember, I was so proud of these two, Its a lot, Keith loves his wolf as much as I love voltron, Lance & Pidge | Katie Holt Friendship, Lance appreciation, Lance is so awesome, Lance is so emotional, Lance/Pidge centric, Pidge Appreciation, Sassy Pidge | Katie Holt, Season 1 team, Season 7 is full of Plance, Team Voltron Family, Team Voltron is lit, That Time Pidge Admitted She Was A Girl Finally, The Sharpshooter™️, The Techy Chick, Voltron is fam, i think
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-18
Updated: 2018-08-18
Packaged: 2019-06-12 15:43:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,129
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15343080
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sunny_Lana/pseuds/Sunny_Lana
Summary: In which Lance is still trying to figure out how everyone knew Pidge was a girl besides him, or, the one where Lance figures out how important Pidge is and Pidge figures out that there’s more to Lance than it seems.*Now a series of one-shots, Season 7 Pidge/Lance bonding is up! I’ll hopefully continue to update with other seasons and other moments between these two.*





	1. Legends & Life Changes

**Author's Note:**

> This is a one-shot because I’m testing out my fanfiction abilities within this fandom. Can’t believe Season 7 of VLD is almost upon us!

She catches him looking at her far too often, and it’s sort of weird, because she knows how he’s always looking at girls…but she’s not that kind of girl. Lance had always been looking at the pretty ones, with the sparkly eyes and nice hair – or the alien equivalent in some cases. Pidge is just…Pidge. So it’s hard to figure out exactly why he’s staring, until he finally asks an awkward question.

 

“So why did you choose to dress up as a boy, exactly?” He questions, finally cornering her after a breakfast of food goo. 

 

Pidge had been grateful when no one asked any pressing questions about her interesting choices. But then again, Lance had never been one to follow the mold.

 

She is tempted to roll her eyes, but she sort of likes Lance. He’s like the team glue, probably without trying to be. “It’s a long story,” she starts, thinking to avoid the whole thing.

 

It was fine with Shiro, because he obviously knew who she was from conversations with her family. Hunk had made his guess – probably from rather rudely reading her diary, if she were going to assume anything. How Keith had come to the conclusion that she was a girl was beyond her, actually, given the short amount of time in which they had known each other, but he was more observant than Lance. Coran was just Coran, and the mice had apparently informed Allura. The only one who had actually fallen for her ploy was Lance.

 

She almost feels bad for him. So she sighs, closing her eyes and quickly opening them. She adjusts her glasses before she launches into the story of how her life basically completely changed. “When Matt and dad went missing, I knew I had to find some way to figure out what really happened on the Kerberos mission. They kept saying it was pilot error, but knowing what I knew of Shiro, knowing Matt and dad, I knew that was impossible. So I snuck into the garrison and hacked the computers.”

 

Lance’s mouth practically falls open. “Pidge, what the heck, how?”

 

He sounds rather impressed, and Pidge smirks slightly in response. “It wasn’t too difficult getting in, honestly. I got caught on the computers, though, and was basically banned for life.”

 

Lance nods, the pieces suddenly clicking together. “You couldn’t get in as you…well, as whatever you looked like before, which I’m guessing was more…girly?” Lance trails off awkwardly, flapping his hands around.

 

Pidge shrugs. “I guess so. It was mostly just the hair and the name change, honestly. Plus, no more wearing dresses.” She grins suddenly. “Which actually has been awesome, so no regrets there.”

 

Lance looks like he’s stopped functioning, imagining Pidge wearing a dress of any kind.

 

Pidge snorts at his expression, giving him an eye roll for good measure. “Come on, is it really that hard to imagine me wearing a dress?” One hand on her waist, she inclines her hips to one side, looking at him with creased eyebrows.

 

Lance’s eyes linger, almost examining, and she’s taken aback for a moment by how serious he seems. “It’s difficult,” Lance admits, giving her another skeptical glance. He meets her eyes, his expression dropping into a smirk. “Why don’t you try on one of Allura’s so I can envision it properly?” Pidge scowls at him, and he raises his hands, rescinding his comments. “I’m kidding, I’m kidding.” Then his head tilts to the side questioningly. “So is Pidge like a nickname or…”

 

“Matt always called me that,” Pidge says quietly, her eyes casting to the side.

 

Lance is silent for a moment, but she looks down to see the tips of his shoes coming closer, hearing his quiet footsteps. “We’ll find him, Pidge. Together, we can do anything.” His hand rests on her shoulder suddenly and she looks up at him with wide eyes. “You’re not alone, Pidge. I’m always here for you, okay?”

 

Pidge blinks once. Then one of her eyebrows raises, and she half grins. “My given name is actually Katie,” she returns. “You can call me whichever,” she informs him, a genuine smile on her face.

 

Lance takes on a soft expression and he makes no move to retract his comforting hand. “I’ll still call you Pidge if that’s alright.”

 

“Fine by me,” Pidge says, looking at him closely. “I’m kinda glad you asked about it too, you know? I guess I didn’t know I needed to get the whole story off my chest.” She sighs, breathing out. “I guess I thought maybe telling someone what happened might really change their perception of me, might even change my own perception of me…” She trails off.

 

Lance shakes his head, pulling the small girl into a hug that kind of surprised both of them. “Pidge, come on, you’re amazing.” His whisper is quiet and close. When he pulls back, she’s rapidly blinking, so he quickly continues. “You’re basically a genius,” he declares, loud this time. “And you’re really scrappy in a fight, plus you’re good with logic and nature and technology.” He takes a breath. “And even if you don’t think you are, you’re good at connecting with people.”

 

Pidge gives him an analytical look, a half smile. “I jumped to the wrong conclusions about you,” she admits, tipping her glasses as if to look at him better. “You’re not just a goofball, honestly. You’re like the heart…like the glue of this team, holding everyone together at once with your friendship and devotion. You make all of us better.” Her eyes are watery around the edges as they crinkle with warmth.

 

Lance finds himself tearing up, although there’s still a fond smile on his face. “Thanks…Katie.”

 

Shiro’s said her real name recently too, but she still gets a slight shock to the system as Lance says it with such feeling in his voice. It feels comfortable, and she never thought she’d be okay with it. It feels like she’s with family again, and that hurts a little, but at the same time, she accepts that she’s finally found something open and honest again.

 

Lance’s warm hand disappears when she looks up at him again. Pidge just looks at him for a short time, craning her head upwards, not wanting to miss this moment. She thinks she’s missed far too many of them with people she now would give anything in the world to see: Matt and dad. Lance makes her want to embrace the calm and the empathetic and she finds herself full of appreciation. 

 

So she repeats his words in kind, “Thank you, Lance.” And she really means it.

 

Lance really likes Pidge. He’s taken a shine to her since the garrison, and he can’t regret that. There’s a noble capability to the scrappy little genius. He makes a mental note to value her more now, not just because of who she is or what she’s done, but because of how much he really appreciates her. “You know, we should hang more, Pidge.”

 

She tilts her head, an amused grin on her face. “I suppose so...if you think you can keep up with me.”

 

His eyes widen, but he chuckles the next second, eyes narrowed with challenge. “I’m the sharpshooter of the team, capisce? I think I’ve got this.”

 

“Aye, aye, fly boy,” Pidge is snorting. She gestures for them to move on, and if any time has passed, it doesn’t matter to them, for everything suddenly feels right with the world, if for only a moment. “Come on, the others are probably waiting.”

 

Lance slings an arm around her shoulder as if it’s the most natural thing to do, and Pidge feels like it might be the most natural thing in the world suddenly; she’s okay with this, this comfortable thing.

 

She and Lance rejoin the others, looking as if things are the same as always, though their glances and smiles might say otherwise. From then on they become an even tighter team, a small segment of Team Voltron, the legends of the universe. Lance and Pidge are legends in their own way.


	2. Hope & Heroes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Season 7 was calling to me, begging me to write more Lance/Pidge stuff. I waited to finish the season until last night because I was not prepared for the angst, and now that I’ve finished, have some angst on me. Here’s Pidge and Lance, back for some angst, some fluff, and a lot of bonding.

The moments of pure panic Lance endured during the team’s interrogation by Ezor and Zethrid were almost unending, especially when Pidge was chosen as the first target of torture. Overall, their moments in the company of Lotor’s former generals were confusing, but Lance was pushed over the edge by the attack on the smallest member of Voltron.

Head on, rushing into danger like he always seemed to have a knack for doing, Lance had only been thinking about saving one of his best friends. It hadn’t worked very well (perhaps because he was the “dumb” paladin), which plagued him. If he wasn’t strong enough to save his friends when they needed him, what was the point of even being around? He appreciated piloting Red, who was honestly a great companion, but he was lost without the rest of Voltron.

The guilt edges around Lance’s throat as he replays the scene in his head, remembering how easily Zethrid and Ezor were capable of pushing back his assault. His attack may have been reckless, unplanned, dangerous even, but it should have thrown the balance of the Galran warriors off, even for a short time. The harsh thud of Ezor slamming him to the ground, the heinous laughter of Zethrid, calling his actions “adorable”… it echoes through his head. It’s like they’re laughing directly in his face, like he’s a fly on the wall that can be smashed at the slightest movement.

“Lance?” Pidge is staring at him through the near darkness, her eyes shining with concern in the firelight the dances off the walls of the cave they’re sitting in.  

He isn’t sure what she is most worried about. Acxa, apparently long since abandoning Lotor’s other generals and turning to the so-called “good side,” had just informed them all that the entirety of Team Voltron had been missing for three years to the rest of the world – some kind of time-shifty-wobbly thing, if Lance had understood Pidge correctly.

That in itself bothers Lance, because he wonders what that means for his family. The earthlings on Team Voltron had already been gone about a year before, now to find that it’s really been four years since they left earth for everyone besides his team – it is scary to think about, almost as scary as thinking about his previous failure to protect his friend. It seems a more immediate worry, but everything sort of pushes him down now, doubling his doubts and fears.

Lance doesn’t realize that he and Pidge are the only ones still sitting around their makeshift campfire until he casts a glance around him. His eyes finally settle on Pidge, who is looking at him with her head tilted analytically.

“Do you ever think about whether or not there’s really a place for you in the world, Pidge?” Lance questions her as nonchalantly as possible, his eyes focused on the fire flickering in front of him.

Pidge slides closer to him, eyes blinking behind her glasses. He knows she doesn’t need them for improved sight. She just wears them to remind her of a purpose – the purpose _she_ clearly has and clearly knows. “Deep question,” she begins, looking like she’s musing for a moment. “I think there’s a place for all of us in the world. Logically speaking, that only makes sense, since we’re here and the universe has made a space for us to accommodate. That space should, theoretically, develop into a niche that we either introduce to the universe or fill when it is left unoccupied by another person.” Pidge looks over at Lance, whose eyes are tracking her, even though his brain isn’t quite keeping in line with the overtly analytical ideas she’s presenting. Pidge just softly smiles, knowing Lance all too well by this point. “But, to answer your question, yes. I do think about it…whether I’m really needed here at all.”

Lance’s eyes widen in surprise. He’s always watched Pidge in fascination. Her quick brain, skilled fingers, and expertise with technology make her a real asset, in his opinion. There’s no reason for her to think she doesn’t have a right to be in the world. Her presence is necessary. Voltron probably wouldn’t have made it all together as well or as long without her. It comes as a surprise to note that she has doubt clouding her intellectual brain. “But Pidge, you’re the best of the best. You’re sixteen, and you’re out and about doing the same jobs that people with much more experience and age are doing, and I think you’re more skilled in most cases, although I don’t know much about what you _really_ do, I guess.” Lance shrugs, but presses on. “How can you doubt your worth?” He finishes quietly, realizing Pidge’s russet eyes have turned soft as he rotates to look at her.

“Lance,” she huffs out, almost impatiently, waiting for him to realize what he means to her, to the rest of the team, to the universe. She’s never been good with words of comfort, but with Lance, it is always easier to tell him than to leave him guessing. “You really have no idea how special you are, do you? I think if you were ever to give up, if you were ever to stop fighting, as impulsively as you do, Voltron would fall apart. You’ve always been able to pull everyone together with your words. When Keith’s hotheaded, you’re great at keeping him calm. If Hunk’s feeling down, you know how to make him smile again with just a look and a pat on the shoulder. Allura looks to you for advice and support now, because she knows you’re not the type to give up. Even Shiro respects your words and encouragement.” She nudges his shoulder slightly. “I’m just amused and impressed by you in general. A marksman with your kind of accuracy is hard to find,” she adds, a small smile accompanying her words. “But we all value you. You’re like the sunshine and we need you in order to keep life going.”

Lance is almost amazed by the amassing of rather untechnical information Pidge has spewed out. Her words make him soften, and he almost forgets how little of value he really added to today’s events. His shoulders relax slightly, but he still remains tense, unable to forget the harsh snickering of Zethrid at his weak attempts earlier.

“And by the way, thanks for what you did earlier, standing up for me when we were captured,” Pidge adds, watching his facial expression as it changes.

Lance can’t help his bitter laugh. “What did I do? Amused the Galra, I guess. That’s what I’m here for,” he jokes lamely. “Entertainment.”

 Pidge shakes her head, and her motions are stilted because she’s unfamiliar with this kind of interaction outside of her own family. Her hand presses against Lance’s insistently, but supportively. “What happened today was not your fault, and the actions of the Galra are outside of your control, Lance. You did what you do best, what makes you an inspiration to the rest of us: you tried. You fought your hardest. If anything, I was the weak one,” she adds dejectedly, a slight whisper of dread in her voice. “I couldn’t do anything. You were the only one who tried to physical do something to defy the enemy. I…was really proud,” she says, screwing up her face thoughtfully. “No, that’s not the right word.” She’s wracking her brain. “I can’t really describe it,” she admits, her expression surprised. Pidge rarely runs out of knowledge. “I just know I felt warm, protected, like I meant something and like someone cared and that person…well, he’s important to me.”

Lance isn’t even sure what to say, and that’s really a first for him. Even when he doesn’t know quite know what words will work, he always says something, hoping for a good outcome. Now, he doesn’t even want to spoil the pleasant feeling in his chest with words.

His hand does move, though. The warm silence is undisturbed as his fingers intertwine with Pidge’s. It’s like a promise. A promise not to give up or give in, from either of them, because they’re too important to each other, too valuable: they matter.

“Thanks, Katie,” he finally whispers.

Pidge smiles at that one, fondly. She’s gotten used to Lance’s occasional reference to her by her given name, mostly out of concern or whenever he finds her lost in thoughts of home.

She suddenly removes her glasses, much to Lance’s surprise. He rarely sees her without them, and when she doesn’t have them on, she has a helmet on, the logistics of which would become difficult if she continued to wear the spectacles with the paladin suit covering her from head to toe. Unobstructed by the reflective glass, Lance catches the sparkles in Pidge’s eyes glinting in the firelight as her eyes trace the cave walls.

She stands up finally, stretching her hand out toward him with a placid expression on her face. “We might as well put out the fire and find the others. I don’t know about you, but I think it’s probably time for bed. We’ve all had enough excitement for the day,” she adds, with a wry, knowing expression.

The lions form a circle, one taking up post next to another. Pidge and Lance walk between the paws of Green and Red to get to the center of the circle, where all the other paladins and their allies are curled up on various sleeping bags.

Pidge starts quietly snickering, and points to Hunk and Romelle, who are sleeping near each other, blowing out identical drool-bubbles in their sleep. Lance cracks a smile, nearly unable to keep himself from snorting loudly with laughter.

The other paladins look relatively normal – Keith curled up with the space wolf and Krolia next to them with Acxa not far away, Allura cuddled with the space mice and, likely accidentally, with a snoring Coran, Shiro smack in the middle of everyone like he’s meant to be. It’s a familiar, peaceful scene, and it leaves Pidge and Lance room next to their lions.

They unroll bedrolls, trying to avoid waking the others. It only takes a few minutes for them to curl up inside the warmth, embracing the idea of sleep with easier hearts and minds.

Wordlessly, Lance feels for Pidge’s hand in the dark. His own hand bumps into hers, splayed out against the fabric of her sleeping bag. Pidge, half asleep, curls her fingers against his. They fall asleep under the stars, clinging to the hope they find in each other.

 


End file.
